Evolution of the Shatt al-’Arab Boundary Dispute

Contents

List of maps / vi
List of tables / vii
Acknowledgements / viii

1 International Boundaries in The Middle East and North Africa / 1

Introduction - The youthfulness of the Middle East boundary system / 1

The alien nature of linear boundaries to the Middle East / 4

The acceptance of new territorial limits - A triumph for State Nationalism? / 8

The Iran-Iraq boundary, unique in the Middle East / 11

References / 15

2 Introduction to International River Boundaries / 17
- International rivers in the Middle East / 17
- Why choose a river boundary? / 21
- References / 26

3 The Shatt al-'Arab River and Boundary Suitability / 27

- The physical characteristics of the Shatt al-'Arab river / 27
Natural qualities / 27
(i)    Navigation / .32
(ii)    Irrigation / 33
(iii)    Fisheries / 33
Brief geological history of
the Shatt    al-'Arab region / 34
Boundary alignment within a river / 36
References / 40

4 The Evolution of the Shatt al-'Arab International Boundary in International Law / 42
Before 1847 / 42
1847 - 1911 / 44
1911 - 1937 / 48
1937 - 1975 / 55
1975 - 1980 / 62
References / 65

5 The Economic Importance and Levels of Utilisation of the
Shatt Al-'Arab in the Twentieth Century / 67
- Introduction / 67
- Pre 1945 / 67
- 1945 – 1980 / 70
- 1980 onwards the effect of the Gulf War / 76
References / 80

Conclusion / 82
References / 86

General Bibliography / 87

1 Books / 87
A. General / 87
B. Iran, Iraq and Iran-Iraq relations / 88
C. Political Geography / 89

2 Articles-Reports-Theses / 90
A. International law / 90
B. Political Geography / 90
C. Iran, Iraq and Iran-Iraq relations / 91
D. Shatt al-'Arab / 92
- (i) Boundary / 92
- (ii) Geomorphology & hydrology / 93
- (iii) Navigation and ports / 93

3, Bibliographies / 94

Index / 95

List of Maps

1.1 Boundary status in the Middle East and North Africa / 10
1.2 Iran - Iraq boundary    11

2.1 The Shatt ai-'Arab during the Ka'abide period / 22

3.1 The lower reaches of the Shatt al-'Arab river / 28
3.2 The Shatt al-'Arab water discharge / 29
3.3 Migration of the Shatt al-'Arab's principal navigational channel below Fao / 33

4.1 Frontier between the Ottoman Empire and Persia before 1847 / 43
4.2 Shatt al-'Arab boundary after Treaty of Erzerum 1847 / 44
4.3 Shatt al-'Arab boundary after Constantinople Protocol 1913 / 54
4.4 Shatt al-'Arab boundary after Iraq - Iran Treaty 1937 / 55
4.5 Shatt al-'Arab boundary after Algiers Accords 1975 / 66

5.1 Ports in the Shatt al-'Arab region / 67

List of Tables

3.1 The total water budget of the Euphrates, Tigris and Karun / 30
3.2 Ratios of low to high water (maximum) in selected rivers of the world / 30

5.1 Total import and export figures for the
Iranian and Iraqi ports on the Shatt al-'Arab / 71
5.2 Quantity of goods imported and exported through Iraqi ports / 72
5.3 Iraqi and Iranian commercial ports - dry cargo imports and exports / 75
5.4 Deep water berthage in Iraqi and

Iranian commercial ports / 77